Many of us have been wondering for literally years whether the Harry Reid would ever pull the trigger and rein in or end the filibuster. He finally did. In our second TPMPrime Longform (sub req), TPM’s Sahil Kapur gives a detailed history of the filibuster’s demise and what finally brought Reid, who’d hedged so many times, over to the side of the reformers.

Advocates for health care reform are convinced GOP-controlled states that decided not to expand Medicaid under Obamacare will eventually come around. Too much money is being left on the table for it not to happen … eventually. But they’re not waiting around. Advocates are beginning to organize those who have been caught in the GOP’s Medicaid gap as Exhibit A for why states should expand the program. As Dylan Scott reports, that campaign is farthest along in Texas.

The Republican Study Committee saw its mission as pushing the GOP even further to the right, but this week Executive Director Paul Teller was fired. Read more about him and how his firing represents the fight for the soul of the Republican party.

One observer said: “Maybe that’s the concern from the leadership; that he’s too effective.”